'Dying Green Lung': Navi Mumbai Citizens Slam Neglect Of Parsik Hill & Basic Infrastructure Ahead Of Civic Polls

Navi Mumbai: Ahead of the civic polls in Navi Mumbai, The Free Press Journal went to the citizens to understand their key problems and what solutions they expect. The “slow degradation of Parsik Hill” emerged as one of the most important issues worrying the public.

Citizens Raise Concerns

Slamming the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation and the City And Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), the citizens highlighted “years of civic neglect, environmental destruction and political tokenism”. Apart from the apathy over Parsik Hill, the citizens talked about the issues ranging from “bad roads and footpaths, improper sanitation, drug abuse, illegal settlements and collapsing public infrastructure”.

Terming Parsik Hill as a dying green lung, they pointed out incomplete work at the Sunset Point. “Poor lighting across the stretch poses security issues. Tall street lights are blocked by trees. Given the winding road, low-height, garden-style lights are the requirement,” said a resident. Encroachments, illegal shrines and CIDCO-led hill-cutting activities are other areas of concern, the person added. For long, the locals have been demanding to transfer the hill jurisdiction from the CIDCO to the forest department.

Residents have also repeatedly demanded that the post of city engineer be reserved for IIT-qualified civil engineers to ensure quality works. “Every year they plant trees for photos, but there’s no long-term greening. Shift these drives to water-accessible areas like the Morbe dam and transplant mature trees here,” said a local environmentalist from the hill. Similarly, sector 9 residents said that footpaths, leading to their residence, have remained dug up for over three months, with critical rainwater drains left incomplete.

Monsoon Turns Road Into A Hazardous Stretch

The monsoon has turned the main road into a hazardous stretch, the locals said, adding that large chunks of soil fall on the road, thereby endangering motorists and pedestrians. Another pertinent issue spoken about was lack of parking space and traffic woes. Chronic parking shortages plague the node, especially around the Belapur station and Konkan Bhavan. “Both the previously elected representatives did not work on a long-term policy, the only action taken was indiscriminate towing drives,” said a resident. Illegal hawkers further add to the hardships.

“Despite a biometric hawker survey in 2016- 17, no ID cards have been issued or hawker zones created. Encroachments by hawkers remain unchecked, obstructing footpaths and walkways,” said a resident. They also highlighted the CIDCO's “failure to plan vegetable and fruit markets”. The citizens asserted that despite Navi Mumbai's ‘clean city’ tag, piles of garbage welcome visitors to the Agroli village.

“It's surprising that the city gets fancy titles under 'Swachh Bharat', but the ground reality is different,” said another resident. “We’re not asking for luxuries, we want roads without potholes, parks that are safe, hills that are green and a government that actually works,” said Sudhir Dani, a senior citizen from sector 9.